For a number of reasons, I wasn't able to venture out into Hong Kong's country parks (or even its countryside) this weekend. But in lieu of that, I did some urban trekking that allowed me to clock up over 15,000 steps on my pedometer today, and over 18,000 steps yesterday!

Add in my having managed to take some photos I like (such as the ones above) and my being able to break in my fourth pair of hiking boots since moving to Hong Kong by doing such as going down the ultra steep Wan Chai Gap Road though, and I'd say that I actually managed to have an enjoyable excursion and fairly good workout this weekend!

To be sure, I never went on a non-paved path at any point this weekend. Also, much of the landscape I passed through yesterday and today was distinctly urban in nature. So I wouldn't go so far as to say that I truly went hiking either yesterday or today.

At the same time though, I did see my share of natural sights over the course of my weekend excursions. Be they greenery or water, hills or otherwise, however, they helped to remind me that, despite it being officially touted as "Asia's World City", much of Hong Kong really isn't the concrete jungle that so many people who have never been here tend to think that it is.

Furthemore, it's thanks to its hills and surrounding water that the city comes across as much more beautiful and visually interesting than those cities situated on plains or less geographically diverse areas such as Tokyo or Beijing! :b

This may not be a Countryside Park hike, but you've captured some stirring views of a walk where "nature is never far away"...In the second photo, I like the way the greenery frames the foreground buildings and leads the eye to the more distant background skyline...The bottom zoom shot is one of the best HK harbour views I've seen. The photo creates a very imposing (and for me, also mythic) view of Lion Rock...The foreground sampan gives a sense of scale, a timeless view where the modern high-rises don't distract from this true granite symbol of Hong Kong.